REVIEW: THY PRIMORDIAL - THE CROWNING CARNAGE

 

THY PRIMORDIAL - THE CROWNING CARNAGE (Candlelight Records, 2002)

Produced by Tommy Tägtgren

Recorded at Abyss Studios

Tracks: 1- Subterranean Carnality, 2- Genuine Hatred, 3- Icon Retribution, 4- The Crowning Carnage, 5- Worldecay, 6- Purveyor of Chaos, 7- Changing the Mortal Disguise, 8- Menace of Human Waste, 9- Destroying the Idea of a God.

This is pure fucking holocaust black metal!! Here you have a black metal band that goes at full speed and full of hate all of the time. And they got what they deserve: the production of Tommy Tägtgren and the sound of the Abyss Studios that have multiplied ten times the power of the band. Yes, here the guitars are devastating even in the fastest riffs and you can hear them perfectly (they are not like a buzz in the speakers as in some releases that are not well mixed). Here you listenm perfectly the voices spitting their lyrics with their denial of god. And also here you have a killer drummer that can play great fills and blast beats making the music more agressive. This is raw black metal with great sound.

Favorite tracks: "Genuine Hatred", "Icon Retribution" and "The Crowning Carnage"

Contact: www.candlelightrecords.co.uk

REVIEW: THUNDERCORE - SAMPLER CD

THUNDERCORE - SAMPLER CD(Independent, 2002)

Here we have this powerful band that plays extremely violent metal with heavier than hell riffs and brutal vocals adding a lot of rhythms to their music through the syncopated drumbeats.. This guys have a lot of hardcore feeling too in their music and they know how to deliver it with some brutality in order to make it sound really heavy as hell. The production of the CD is amazingly good, specially on the guitar sound that is really fat and gives a lot of identity and power to Thundercore´s music. This is a six song CD sampler from this powerful band and I read that they are giving the final touches to their new recording which would really like to listen to soon.

Favorite tracks: Tracks number 1, 3 and 4

Contact: www.thundercore.com

REVIEW: THRONE OF CHAOS - MENACE AND PRAYER

 

THRONE OF CHAOS - MENACE AND PRAYER (Spinefarm Records,1999)

Produced by Tapio Pennanen and Throne of Chaos

Recorded at La-La Records

Cover Art by Kyösti

Tracks: 1- From Clarity To Insanity, 2- The Scaffold Scenario, 3- Cold Bits of Fire, 4- Bloodstained Prophecy, 5- Menace and Prayer, 6- Syntethia, 7- Opus Void, 8- Divanity, 9- Never in a Dream, 10- Towards Glory

This was quite an old release but because of its quality I decided to review it. This guys are from Finland and they have developed a style that I would called dark heavy power metal. That is: their music has elements of death metal in the voices (a screaming vocalist) and at the same time the music is really epic with a lot of elements of power metal such as the keyboards solos and the melodic riffs that are composed to sing with the fist in the air. Plus, here there are interesting thrash riffs along with fastest parts. The musicians here are really technical proficient (it is incredible how in Europe you have that many bands with great musicianship). Here you have a good option if you are bored from the same styles. This is different.

Favorite tracks: "The Scaffold Scenario", "Menace and Prayer" and "Towards Glory"

Contact: www.spinefarm.fi

REVIEW: THE SILENT SHINING - THE FIRST ATTACK

 

THE SILENT SHINING - THE FIRST ATTACK (Indepedent, 2001)

Tracks: 1- Ophidian - Dreaming The Hereafter, 2- Dweorgesblod - look through the Emerald, 3- Astray - Universal Truth Divine, 4- Ordo Draconis - The Conjuration Complete, 5- Secrets of the Moon - Orion in the Wintersky, 6- Anthropolatri - Ognnenyi Veter, 7- Immemoreal - A nightmare Scenario, 8- Moonsorrow - Ukkosenjumalan Poika, 9- Iscariot - Wrath, 10- Lost Dreams - Burning Eyes, 11- Nebular Mystic - As I Blow My Candles, 12- Temple of Tiphareth - What ahs to be done (666), 13- Meads of Asphodel - Watchers of Catal Huyuk, 14- Pest - Ära

Here is this compilation that includes sixteen dark metal bands doing great songs. Here we have more famous underground bands like Immemorial, Ophidian or Moonsorrow along with other names that are not as known but as musically great as them as Dweorgesblod or Temple of Tipharet. All the bands are in the vein of complex black metal and I like the beginning with Ophidian doing their music in a great way. All of the bands here have in ytheir tracks some orchestration and interesting arrangements (some of the bands have more and some that are more raw have less). I would recommend this CD to people who don´t know the bands on it or to people who have not heard this style of music before and that will have here a good sample.

Favorite tracks: This is a great compilation CD and it is great to introduce people to the music of this bands

Contact: moongleam@planet.nl

REVIEW: THE KNUTS - PALAST DER WINDE

THE KNUTS - PALAST DER WINDE (Independent , 2000)

Produced by The Knuts

Cover Art by Alexander Görisch

Tracks: 1- Intro, 2- Die Mutter aus Kalkutta, 3- Popo-Club, 4- Geschwitzt, geschlitzt, gespritzt, 5- Palast Der Winde, 6- Summer of (66) 69, 7- Da ist was faul...Johannes Paul, 8- Hacken Bis Zum Abkacken, 9- Bodo Tanzt Den Pickelnascher, 10-Daddy Cool, 11- Die Teppichmilbe, 12- Der Bauer und das Liebe Vieh, 13- Du stinkst, aber Ich Liebe Dich, 14- Der Einsame Angler am Sumpfe Der Menschwerdung, 15- Land Der Liebe 2000, 16- Ballade of Rosi S., 17- Eine Neue Leber ist Wie Ein Neues Leben

Looking at the cover you don´t give much for this guys music. But listening to the CD is completely different. That is death metal with a lot of hardcore touches and interesting guitar riffs with many great melodies like in the song "Popo-Club" (so, don´t get fooled by the cover of this CD). The music here is powerful and raw with great work by the guitarists who work really well and develope the songs along with the drummer who does a lot of double bass drumming and also hits a lot his cymbals in order to add more heaviness to the tracks. The singer is in the vein of Sodom´s Tom Angel Ripper but a little bit more deathly. Tracks like "Geschwitzt..." are pure energy and almost grind in some parts (there are some really short tracks with grind bits). A really multiphacetic band full of power.

Favorite tracks: "Popo-club", "Der Bauer und Das Liebe Vieh" and "Eine Neue Leber ist Wie Ein Neues Leben"

Contact: theknuts@web.de

REVIEW: SYSTEM OF A DOWN - TOXICITY

 

SYSTEM OF A DOWN - TOXICITY (American Records, 2001)

Produced by Rick Rubin and Daron Malakian

Recorded at Cello Studios

Cover Art by Mark Wakefield

Tracks: 1- Prison Song, 2- Needles, 3- Deer Dance, 4- Jet Pilot, 5- X, 6- Chop Suey!, 7- Bounce, 8- Forest, 9- Atwa, 10- Science, 11- Shimmy, 12- Toxicity, 13- Psycho, 14- Aerials

Here we have this band that is a sensation in the metal world and here you understand why. In a world full of Korn´s clones and bad copies and power metal repetitive bands here we have a band that is original and really powerful at the same time. Here we have Daron´s guitars that are crushing and at the same time melodic in many places, then you have the amazing Serj Tankian´s vocals which are the heart and soul of System of a Down´s music adding a lot of interesting melodies to the powerful music. Surely you have seen the "Chop Suey!" or "Aerials" video on MTV and many places. Well, here you have fourteen tracks in a similar vein.

Favorite tracks: "Aerials", "Needles" and "Bounce"

REVIEW: SPIRITUAL - ICELAND

SPIRITUAL - ICELAND (SS Productions, 2002)

Produced by Spiritual

Cover Art by Spiritual

Tracks: 1- When The Moon Shines, 2- Mistica Atmosfera, 3- Within Eons of Darkness, 4- From My Soul..., 5- Travel of the Dreamkeeper, 6- Lost Kingdom of Mag Rein, 7- Nocturnal Sea

Here we have this black metal band with interesting instrumental passages. The CD starts in a typicl black metal style with fast and furious riffs and screaming vocals, and then it surprises you with an instrumental track full of keyboards, then you have a lot of black metal again and then comes "Travel of the Dreemkeeper" which is an instrumental with acoustic guitars. I like a lot how this guys use really raw guitars and dark and melancholic keyboards progressions in tracks like "Lost Kingdom of Mag Rein" with a short keyboard interludes that continues in a fast part with interesting drumbeats. This guys have a lot of ideas and put them on each of the tracks that are here. And I like this because it gives a lot of originality to the band. Original black metal for lovers of the dark side !!

Favorite tracks: "When The Moon Shines", "Within Eons of Darkness" and "Travel of the Dreemkeeper"

Contact:

SS Productions c/o Berto Mattia

Via Fossalta, 86

35026 Conselve

ITALY

REVIEW: SPIRIT CORPSE - LOVE IS A GRAVE

SPIRIT CORPSE - LOVE IS A GRAVE (STF Records, 2002)

Produced by Spirit Corpse

Recorded at DocMaKlang Studios

Cover Art by Sorsha Fauré

Tracks: 1- Intro, 2- The Prophet, 3- Black Angel, 4- Funke der Lüge, 5- Inferno, 6- Alice, 7- Love is a grave, 8- Herrscher der Lüfte, 9- Spirit Corpse, 10- Outro

This guys are really weird....after a long introduction with keyboards and orchestration comes the first track "The Prophet". I expected a straightforwar death metal band and I was wrong because they start with sort of a heavy rock riff and start a rocking song. Then comes the next song which is a great mix of death metal vocals and heavy metal (check the epic chorus !!!) with keybaords parts !!. They call their style Zombie metal!!! The great thing about Spirit Corpse is that you never know what to expect from them. They change easily from song to song....going from melancholic tracks like "Funke der Lüge" (in this track they play a clean guitar solo over a heavy guitar riff that sounds amazing) to more brutal ones like "Inferno". If you like bands that mix a lot of styles with originality always witha lot of power then you should check Spirit Corpse.

Favorite tracks: "Black Angel", "Alice" and "Spirit Corpse"

Contact: www.spirit-corpse.de or www.stf-records.de

REVIEW: SOLAR DAWN - EQUINOCTIUM

 

SOLAR DAWN - EQUINOCTIUM (Mighty Music, 2002)

Produced by Tommy Tägtgren

Recorded at Abyss Studios

Tracks: 1- Deicidal Beliefs, 2- Punished By Silence, 3- Spellbinder, 4- Deep in Mourning, 5- Artistic Blasphemy, 6- Vulturous Need, 7- Broken-winged, 8- Autumns.

This is one of the best CDs I have listened in a while. The perfect mix of melody and brutality (all of this multiplied by the great production by the amazing Tommy Tägtgren). I read that Solar Dawn make a well balanced mixture of death, thrash and heavy metal and I think this is the best way to describe their music. The vocals of death metal, along with some of the furious and fast riffs of the style, then some guitar riffs and breaks in the thrash metal style and then they add a lot fo guitar melodies and clean vocals in a more heavy metal vein ( a great combination of brutal and clean vocals are essential in Solar Dawn´s music). The guitar sound is extremely brutal and along with the excellent drummer they achieve this great recording that every metal fan should listen.

Favorite tracks: All the CD....perfect combination of aggressive and melodic side

Contact: www.mightymusic.dk

REVIEW: SMIRNOFF - INHUMAN TORTURE

SMIRNOFF - INHUMAN TORTURE (Independent, 2001)

Produced by Smirnoff

Cover Art by Smirnoff

Tracks: 1- Inhuman Torture, 2- Lionels Passion (Braindead Part II), 3- Airplane Accidents, 4- If you Survive, 5- The Agony of Dying, 6- Warriors of Metal

The guys in Smirnoff have achieved a lot of brutality on this recording. Full speed and brutal riffs are all over this recording. This guys have made one of the top underground brutal releases of the year. Labels who release brutal bands music check this guys !! Thir music is simply devastating and I lie a lot the riffs in the style of "Airplane Accident" (0:58) really rhythmic and brutal at the same time followed by a frantic guitar solo. The vocals are really guttural as this style demands and they make a lot of screaming and brutal shouts in certain parts like on rhythm changes adding a lot of heaviness to the tracks here. This is brutality at a top level!!

Favorite tracks: "Inhuman Torture", "Lionel´s Passion" and "If you Survive"

Contact: www.smirnoff-metal.de.lv

REVIEW: SINPHONIA - WHEN THE TIDE BREAKS

SINPHONIA - WHEN THE TIDE BREAKS (Lucretia Records, 2000)

Produced by Kristian Gislason, Morten Uldbæk, Brian Søgaard Jespersen and Sinphonia

Recorded at Birdland Sound Facilities

Cover Art by Martin The Madman

Tracks: 1- Medusa, 2- Lost, 3- Moonstruck, 4- Blear The Hideous, 5- Beyond the Clouds, 6- Path of Life, 7- Adyssey, 8- Now and Forever

The music here is powerful and combined with certain melodies reminds me a little bit of certain The Gathering but Sinphonia is completely different prefering to add a lot of heaviness and more darkness to their music: Monika´s vocals are extremely melodic and add a lot of personality to the band because she has a special type of voice and she knows how to combine it perfectly with the music that the rest of the band does. Also I have to remark the great contrast between the technical heavy guitar riffs and the keybopards which are fundmanetal to create Sinphonia´s music. This guys have a lot of technical skills that they use to create the songs and they achieve great results. This is a must for any metal fan.

Favorite tracks: All the CD is magnificent.

Contact: www.lucretiarecords.com

REVIEW: SILENTIUM - INFINITA PLANGO VULNERA

 

SILENTIUM - INFINITA PLANGO VULNERA (Spikefarm Records, 1999)

Recorded at Studio Watercastle

Cover Art by Janne Matti Nurminen

Tracks: 1- Solicitude, 2- Forever Sleep, 3- Redemption, 4- Autumn Heart, 5- Whatever The Pain, 6- Maiden of the Forest, 7-Requiem, 8- With Blood Adorned, 9- At the Dawn of Wept, 10- Solicitude

Silentium is a band from Finland and they play extremely melancholic music with heavy guitars and a lot of melodic arrangements. This guys have reached a perfect balance between power and melody. The arrangements here are complex and they use heavily thekeyboards in order to achieve the harmonies that they want. The music on this CD has been mixed in the Finnvox Studios and you can feel that in the quality that the sound has letting us hear every arrangement that this band makes, letting as listen the beauty of Tiina´s vocals in all its splendour and letting us listen all the melodies perfectly. This is a must for people who love this kind of metal.

Favorite tracks: "Autumn Heart", "Redemption" and "With Blood Adorned"

Contact: www.spinefarm.fi

REVIEW: SHADOWS FX - SHADOWS FX

 

SHADOWS FX - SHADOWS FX (Impact Records, 2001)

Produced by Luiz Silva and Ricardo Mattos

Recorded at M&C Studios

Cover Art by Henrique Oliveri

Tracks: 1- They Dig my Grave, 2- Blood Street, 3- Tomorrow´s Desolation, 4- Finis Glori Mundi, 5- Death Penalty, 6- Death Lament, 7- War Feelings

This is a brazilian death thrash metal band whose music has a lot of aggression and melodies in the vein of some Scandinavian bands. But Shadows FX has achieved their own identity by adding a raw sound to their music. The tracks on this CD are dripping energy and brutality but interesting mixed with guitar melodies that make A lot of atmospheres and moods in the tracks. Another thing which I liked are the guitar solos that are technical and prefer adding melodic phrases than being hyper fast and demential. This brazilian band has also made a really beautiful instrumental in the vein of bands like Testament that is called "Finis Glori Mundi" and shows us a more subtle side of the band´s music. Lovers of the style will surely like this one.

Favorite tracks: "Blood Street", "Death Lament" and "Tomorrow´s Desolation"

Contact: lushadows@hotmail.com

REVIEW: SHADEGROWN - IN A COLD WINTERNIGHT

 

SHADEGROWN - IN A COLD WINTERNIGHT (Independent , 2002)

Produced by Shadegrown

Cover Art by Shadegrown

Tracks: 1- I am the Shadow-Walker, 2- A Dream of How All Dies, 3- I Drown in Shadows, 4- IN a Cold Winternight

Andreas "Shade" Pross is the composer and executor of all the music contained on this CD. The music can be classified in a sort of epic death/ black dark metal with a lot of atmospheres and keyboards. Great keyboard lines are what give a lot of originality to the music on this CD, along with the many different vocal moods that Shadegrown achieves on each of the tracks. Here we have spoken vocals, growling vocals, a screaming one too, and below them the heavy guitars mixed in a really original way with the keyboards. A really interesting project. I hope to listen more from Shadegrown soon.

Favorite tracks: The four tracks are magnificent, specially the combination of heavy guitars and keyboards

Contact: shadegrown666@uboot.com

REVIEW: SERPENT - ART OF WAR

 

SERPENT - ART OF WAR (Independent, 2002)

Produced by Serpent

Cover Art by Serpent

Tracks: 1- March To Death, 2- Art of War, 3- Panzar, 4- Spanish Inquisition, 3- Behind the Cross

Here we have this killer swedish band whose music can be described as some sort of death/thrash metal. Here we have interesting and fast riffs but what I liked most are the shouted choruses like the one in "Art of War" that are the guys, Sin and Tyr, shouting "Art of War" very violently. There are some intereting melodic riffs in sort of a black metal style with some keyboards that I think are played by Raven (I would like the keyboards a little bit louder here). And one think I think this guys must use on every song are the killer solos. I think this is a distinct characteristic of Serpent´s music along with the keyboards in tracks like "Spanish Inquisition". A very violent release with some beautiful elments. Really contrasting.

Favorite tracks: "Art of War" and "Behind the Cross"

Contact: http://fade.to/serpent

REVIEW: SEMEN DATURA - THIS LOVE IS DEAD

 

SEMEN DATURA - THIS LOVE IS DEAD (CCP Records, 200)

Produced by Semen Datura

Cover Art by Copo 2000

Tracks: 1- This Love is Dead, 2- Bishop of Blood, 3- Scream, 4- Price of liberty, 5- Rabenmensch, 6- Ouellen, 7- Follower, 8- Finalergeist, 9- Die Rache Ist Mein, 10- Hear the Blade Rings

Here is this powerful release that I would define as a mix of metal, rock and gothic music. Here we have the crushing riffs that this band makes in the songs, then we have some rocking riffs too that give a lot of hooks to each song. And then there is the combination of male and female vocals that add a lot of melodies and atmosphere to the music. The guitars sound really raw (and maybe that is a little bit weird for a band of this style) but they sound great and very clear also in the clean parts and in the melodies. The production is really clear and you can listen every note, every drumbeat and every vocal line. A heavy and melancholic release.

Favorite tracks: "This Love is Dead", "Rabenmensch" and "Die Rache ist Mein"

Contact: www.semendatura.com or www.ccprecords.com

REVIEW: SAURGA - DØDSLÆNGSLEN & KALDET

 

SAURGA - DØDSLÆNGSLEN & KALDET (Nox Infandus Records, 2001)

Produced by Saurga

Recorded at Low Pain Recording

Cover Art by Mortifer / B. Pedersen

Tracks: 1- Drømmende Længsel; 2- Under en Crimson Måne, 3- Om Nat I Stilhed, 4- Dødslængslen & Kaldet

Here we have four tracks from this Danish duo consisting of Mortifer on keyboards, percussion and vocals (and she composed all the music here) and Harnas who does vocals here. The four tracks are really calm and dark. There are keyboards all over the place which play dark chord progression giving the basement for the melancholic and spoken vocals. There are some changes in the music but most of the time is really relaxing and enchanting for all your senses. There are some flute (I think is some sort of typical flute) that Mortifer plays in some pasages that add a lot of sadness and sorrow to the songs. This music is a reflection of a beautiful and sad soul.

Favorite tracks: The four contained here are pieces of dark beauty. I liked them a lot.

Contact: www.saurga.subnet.dk

REVIEW: RESURRECTED - BUTCHERED IN EXCREMENT

 

RESURRECTED - BUTCHERED IN EXCREMENT (Perverted Taste Records, 2002)

Produced by Resurrected

Recorded at Prolog Studios

Cover Art by David Bollt

Tracks: 1- The Beginning of Terror, 2- Dripping With Blood, 3- Deadly Lessons, 4- Wait To Suffer, 5- Macabre Fuckfest, 6- Infecting the Crypt, 7-Ophidicism, 8- Entangled in Madness, 9- Butchered in Excrement, Conquered Suffering

An eerie introduction starts this CD and then gives place to the devastating music of Resurrected. This band is brutal as fuck !!! And that does not mean that they are playing fast all the time....check as an example the killer beginning in "Wait to Suffer " to listen the ten ton heavy riff with an interesting double bass drum part that the drummer repeat in other parts of that track. Yes, they can play fast too but they prefer to rely on more effective riffs and then doing a blast beat here and there. The vocalist is guttural and he is risponsible of a lot of the brutality that this band has. The guitars are really well combined with the bass and drums creating the demolishing sound of Resurrected.

Favorite tracks: This release is brutal as hell. One of the most devastating releases in 2002

Contact: www.pervertedtaste.de or www.resurrected.de

REVIEW: RAVINE - DEPARTURE

 

RAVINE - DEPARTURE (Independent, 2001)

Produced by Ravine

Recorded at Eastcoast Studio

Cover Art by T. Öhman

Tracks: 1- Eclipse, 2- Towards 1000 Seas, 3- Departure - A Dream of Death

This is an excellent band with many ideas. Their music is extremely dark black metal with amny melodies and changes. And they also have some thrash metal elements that combined create great tracks. The main thing here is developing a dark atmosphere with the guitars (they play a lot of melodies and riffs in some sort of mid pace tempo). The vocals are trollish as in many black metal bands but this are more expresive (sort of a mix between a black metal band and Carcass to give you an example). The mix of the album is really good making all the melodies darker and pointing out all the atmospheres that the band wants to create. It is a pity that the recording has only three tracks because it leaves you wanting more

Favorite tracks: The threee contained here are amazing !!!

Contact:

RAVINE

Kirkkojärvi 431

49400 Hamina

Finland

REVIEW: PAYSAGE D´HIVER - STEINEICHE

 

PAYSAGE D´HIVER - STEINEICHE (Independent, 2001)

Produced by Paysage D´Hiver

Cover Art by Paysage D´Hiver

Tracks: 1- Die Baumfrau, 2- Der Baummann, 3- Der Baum, 4- Deja Vu

This is a CD of climatic black metal. First of all I have to say that most of the music here is ruined by the lack of a good sound that would help to listen better the different atmospheres that the band wants to create. The music is good, specially on the mid tempos but is barely audible iun many places (for example on the fastest parts). The guitars make interesting melodic passages that create a dark atmosphere on each of the tracks contained on this cd. This guys must rerecord this one and add a better mix in order to have better results becuase the music is really good and it deserves a better mix..

Favorite tracks: "Die Baummann" and "Der Baum"

Contact:

Tobias Moeckl

Muristrasse 74

3006 Bern

Helvetia

REVIEW: OBITUARY - CAUSE OF DEATH (REMASTERED EDITION)

OBITUARY - CAUSE OF DEATH (REMASTERED EDITION) (Roadrunner Records, 2000)

Produced by Scott Burns and Obituary

Recorded at Morrisound Recordings

Cover Art by Michael Whelan

Tracks: 1- Infected, 2- Body Bag, 3- Chopped in Half, 4- Circle of the Tyrants, 5- Dying, 6- Find the Arise, 7- Cause of Death, 8- Memories Remain, 9- Turned Inside Out, 10- Infected (demo), 11- Memories (demo), 12- Chopped in Half (demo)

Here we have the remastered edition of Obituary´s second album. Here is more evident the remastering than in the "Slowly We Rot" remaster. Here the guitars and drums are clearer than in the original version. Musically we have a great evolution in Obituary´s music with the addition of James Murphy on guitars (he plays killer solos through all the recording instead of Allen West´s fast runs of the first album). Here you can listen the change that this man brought to Obituary´s music by listening the original demos of some of the tracks contained here and comparing them to the final versions that finally made to the album. This is the album that catapulted Obituary´s career to the top of the death metal scene and you can find the reasons just listening to it.

Favorite tracks: "Infected", "Find the Arise" and "Memories Remain"

Contact: www.roadrunnerrecords.com

REVIEW: NECROPHOBIC - BLOODHYMNS

 

NECROPHOBIC - BLOODHYMNS (Hammerheart Records, 2002)

Produced by Necrophobic and Tomas Skogsberg

Recorded at Sunlight Studios

Cover Art by Sebastian Ramstedt

Tracks: 1- Taste of Black, 2- Dreams Shall Flesh, 3- Art of Rebellion, 4- Shadowseeds, 5- Mourningsoul, 6- Helfire, 7- Cult of Blood, 8-Roots of Heldrasil, 9- Blood Anthem, 10- Among the Storms

Necrophobic is a powerful death/black metal band with interesting thrash touches. Here we have their powerful new album which was recorded on the mythic Sunlight Studios where the nineties scandinavian death metal scene developed. This time they have ten powerful tracks that are extremely fast and really powerful. Tobias Sidegård´s vocals are powerful as hell going from screaming to guttural but always adding power to the tracks. Also thumbs up for the killer drummer Joakim Sterner who can be clearly listened on this album (this CD has a great mix....Tomas Skogsberg is a genius doing this). The tracks here have subtle melodies as the ones you can hear in "Shadowseeds" which create a darker mood that is great in Necrophobic hands.

Favorite tracks: "Dreams Shall Flesh", "Mourningsoul" and "Shadowseeds"

Contact: www.hammerheart.com

REVIEW: NÆRVÆR - SKIFTNINGER

 

NÆRVÆR - SKIFTNINGER (Prophecy Prods. , 2000)

Produced by Hans Eidskard and Nærvær

Recorded at Jailhouse Studios

Cover Art by Terje Sagen, Geir Solli and Companions in Art

Tracks: 1- To plan, 2- Døse Dager, 3- Vi Såkkeland, 4- 92-Tid-99, 5- Nummen, 6- Bob Dylan is the Fucking King, 7- Sug 99, 8- To Oyer..., 9- ...To Hav, 10- En Lonesome, 11-15 = Bonus tracks

Here we have an extremely atmospheric release with a lot of different textures on each of the tracks that are on this CD. Going from the almost ambient with lots of keyboards in "To Plan" to the weirder track "Døse Dager" with some drums and slide guitar on it. Here we have a great thing that is that each track is a world on its own and then you have lots of different moods here. Main composer here is Terje Sagen who is the only musician that appears on all tracks here and whose mind has created this wonderful album. He also plays guitar and many instruments here which allows him to express all his ideas on this eclectic CD.

Favorite tracks: The whole CD is amazingly weird. I like musicians who put originality as a top priority.

Contact: www.prophecyproductions.de

REVIEW: MOTÖRHEAD - HAMMERED

 

MOTÖRHEAD - HAMMERED (Metal Is Records, 2002)

Produced by Thom Panunzio and Motörhead

Recorded at Henson Studios and Chuck´s House

Cover Art by Joe Petagno

Tracks: 1- Walk a Crooked Mile, 2- Down the Line, 3- Brave New World, 4- Voices from the War, 5- Mine all Mine, 6- Shut Your Mouth, 7- Kill the World, 8- Dr. Love, 9- No Remorse, 10- Red Raw, 11- Serial Killer

Here we have Motörhead´s new album and we have no surprises. Fans of the band will love this recording and detractors of the band will hate it as they always do. Here are all the elements that have made the band famous....their simple but effective riffs...their rock and roll attitude...Lemmy´s vocals and the raw guitar sound (all of this are trademarks of the band). Comparing to their previous albums "(We are) Motorhead" and many more this one has a little bit more polished production and they have put more emphasis on the choruses (as you can check since the beginning with "Walk a Crooked Mile"). Another step in Motörhead´s career.

Favorite tracks: "Brave New World", "Shut Your Mouth" and "No Remorse"

Contact: http://www.sanctuaryrecordsgroup.com/

REVIEW: MORGUE SUPPLIER - NOT DEAD ENOUGH

 

MORGUE SUPPLIER - NOT DEAD ENOUGH (Independent, 2001)

Produced by Morgue Supplier

Recorded by Paul

Cover Art by Paul

Tracks: 1- Convulsive Reocurrence, 2- Jugular Appetizer, 3- Morgue Supplier, 4- Not Dead Enough

Morgue Supplier is an extremely brutal death-grind band that plays most of their music at full speed with a strong emphasis on brutality and the strength of their riffs. This CD is full of hyper fast parts and blast beats (the drummer is a beast behind the drum kit). The vocals are guttural and fit the music perfectly...I liked a lot the riffs that are on "Jugular Appetizer" because I think this is the side that the band needs to explore using this crushing rhythms and the interesting drums patterns (really twisted in many places). The mix is good but I think that the guitars and drums can be mixed a little bit louder and the result will be even more brutal. This is a band that guarantees the listener full brutality and will let you collecting pieces of your brain from the floor !!!

Favorite tracks: "Convulsive Reocurrence" and "Jugular Appetizer"

Contact: www.morguesupplier.com

REVIEW: MOONLYGHT - PROGRESSIVE DARKNESS

 

MOONLYGHT - PROGRESSIVE DARKNESS (Independent , 2002)

Produced by Moonlyght and Philippe Poissant

Recorded at Sonum Studio

Cover Art by Martin Lafleur

This CD really fooled me in the beginning because due to the melodies that are on the beginning (which are close to an european heavy metal style) of "Fantasy" I thought "Oh, they sent me a wrong record", but I was wrong, after a brief acoustic interlude enters a more deathly part with rawer vocals, and then enters some female vocals and everything has a lot of melodies and keyboards !! Moonlyght is an amazing band!!! They have one million of ideas and they construct songs with thousands of them going on putting melodies and heavy riffs and breaks here and there. Plus they have some guest musicians in female vocals (combined with the male vocals which are clean and screaming in many places), violin and accordion !! Some parts reminded me of In the Woods but Moonlyght have more variations within each of the tracks. The problem is that I want more Moonlyght....and this CD was recorded 2002...I don´t want to wait too long for more of their music...please guys write more songs in this style!!!! This is with no doubt one of the CDs of the year.

Tracks: 1- Fantasy, 2- The Sceptic Traveller, 3- Ride on Ice Storms, 4- A Tale from a Fantastic Kingdom, 5- The Autumn´s Freezing Harmony, 6- From Honour to Nothingness, 7- Progresive Darkness

Favorite tracks: The whole CD is amazing and really original. One of the CDs of 2002.

Contact: www.moonlyght.ca

REVIEW: MOONLIGHT CORPORATION - V 1.0

 

MOONLIGHT CORPORATION - V 1.0 (Sector 19, 2002)

Compiled by Cybthia Paris at Sector 19

Mastering by Marisa Dery at The Tape Complex

Cover Art by Franck Ackermann

Tracks: 1- Delirium Tremens (Jailbird), 2- Militia Love (S.M.P.), 3- Dagon (Progeria), 4- Twilight World (Aiboforcen), 5- Name of God (Six Past Seven), 6- Tense and Taut (Mouth of Indifference), 7- Jesus Christ V 2.0 (Chaos Engine), 8- Mysterious (System 81), 9- Crucifixion (Arkam Asylum), 10 Human Fragments (Mnemonic), 11- AnimalFarm (Tin.RP), 12- Soul and Substance (Mind Flux Funeral), 13- She Said (St. John´s Eve), 14- Kein Traum (Monoid), 15- Dock to Dock 2001 (Autocad), 16- Fullbandwidth (Silencer), 17- Last Pray (Jailbird)

Here we have this compilation that features sixteen bands from different sides of the electronic specter: from the industrial side represented by bands like Jailbird, to the almost dance in bands like Aïboforcen or Mnemonic or to the almost ambient machine sound of Progeria. Every band here features a lot of electronic sounds and passages and I think is great that we have such different personalities on one CD. There are results which I liked most like the ones of Jailbird, Aïboforcen or Arkam Asylum because they show a lot of the different moods that this bands can achieve while experimenting with their sound and they develop many good ideas on their tracks. This compilation is great for those who like electronic music or for the people who have not listened to it before and want to have a good idea of the different styles that they can find.

Favorite tracks: "Last Pray", "Twilight World" and "Crucifixion"

Contact: www.sector19.com or www.ackermann-studio-design.com

REVIEW: METHARIA - METHARIA

METHARIA - METHARIA (Independent , 2001)

Produced by Metharia

Recorded at Akustika Studio and Jumping Spider Studio

Tracks: 1- Wakinyan Tanka, 2- Come un oasi, 3- Il risveglio delle idee, 4- Bestia dentro, 5- Il Buio della Tempestá, 6- Sudo Sangue, 7- Di Notte

Favorite tracks: "Wakinyan Tanka", "Il Risveglio delle idee" and "Sudo Sangue"

Metharia is an italian band who plays metal in its purest form with many progressive and some death touches. The first thing that struck me are their great melodies and their changing sound between clean and distorted guitars (this is fundamental for the Metharia sound along with the combination with the keyboards). I find this CD very interesting because of the multiple ideas that you can find within each of the songs (melodies, rhythm changes, vocal changes, etc.) and the band never looses their power while mixing them . Another thing that is surprising is the voice of Luca Volani...he sings in many places like a heavy metal singer, then he can growl like a death metal one and he has a lot of different shades that are great for the mood that he wants to create on each of the tracks. Thumbs up for Metharia!!

Contact: www.metharia.net

REVIEW: MEMNOCH - CHAOS IS SILENCE

 

MEMNOCH - CHAOS IS SILENCE (Records, 200)

Produced by Memnoch

Cover Art by Memnoch

Tracks: 1- Running Man, 2- Words Unheard, 3- Consummate Wrath (Part 1), 4- Killing Fields

Memnoch is a death metal band with a lot of interest features: first of all, they have original riffs (specially on the slowest parts that allows the band to develop their ideas in a great way). Then, they not abuse the fastest parts to reach a more brutal result, preferring to concentrate on the original riffs, on some rhythm changes and some melodies. This is a MCD that contains four tracks of pure death metal with some thrash touches in a couple of riffs which my ear liked a lot (like the one at 3:30 in "Consummate Wrath"). Then band achieves a lot of brutality in many parts and they mix this with some changes that make each of the tracks an interesting experience for the listeners.

Favorite tracks: The four tracks are really powerful and lovers of death metal with like them a lot

Contact: www.memnoch.invictus-crew.de

REVIEW: MEGADETH - RUDE AWAKENING

 

MEGADETH - RUDE AWAKENING (Metal Is Records, 200)

Produced by Megadeth and Bill Kennedy

Cover Art by Storm Thorgerson and Peter Curzon

Tracks: CD1: 1- Dread and the fugitive Mind, 2- Kill the King, 3- Wake Up Dead, 4- In My Darkest Hour, 5- Angry Again, 6- She Wolf, 7- Reckoning Day, 8- Devil´s Island, 9- Train of Consequences, 10- A Tout le Monde, 11- Burning Bridges, 12- Hangar 18, 13- Return to Hangar, 14- Hook in Mouth

CD2: 1- Almost Honest, 2- 1000 Times Goodbye, 3- Mechanix, 4- Tornado of Souls, 5- Ashes In Your Mouth, 6- Sweating Bullets, 7- Trust, 8- Symphony of Destruction, 9- Peace Sells, 10- Holy Wars

Here is the live Megadeth album! And there is two sides of it: one is the good side: a lot of songs played live with an acceptable sound (even if the guitars can be better ) and all the strength that Megadeth has, and also they have all original material with no covers, then the bad thing : I would have liked them to mix better the album and also I would have changed some of the tracks from "The World Needs a Hero" for some of the ones that they used to play in other tours like for example "502" or "Skin of My Teeth". But with as many good songs as Megadeth has it is almost impossible to satisfy everybody. I hope this guys reunite and make albums like "Rust In Peace", "Peace Sells" or "Countdown to Extinction" soon.

Favorite tracks: "In My Darkest Hour", "Hangar 18", "Tornado of Souls" and "Peace Sells"

Contact: www.megadeth.com or http://www.sanctuaryrecordsgroup.com/

REVIEW: MATT MILLS PROJECT - MATT MILLS PROJECT

 

MATT MILLS PROJECT - MATT MILLS PROJECT (Independent , 2002)

Produced by Matt Mills Music

Recorded at Bottom Dollar Studio

Cover Art by Matt Mills

Tracks: 1- Intro, 2- Discovery, 3- Drive, 4- Twilight Part 1 , 5- Dark Travel, 6- Castles, 7- Twilight Part 2 , 8- E Minor 9th, 9- Solo, 10- Introspection, 11- Opus, 12- Outro

Matt Mills is a killer neoclassical guitarist. His music can be compared to musicians as Joey Tafolla or Tony Macalpine. He has made this instrumental album comprised of 10 songs an intro and an outro. The songs are sometimes more neoclassical style, sometimes more in a fusion style (like for example on "Drive". He plays here with two excellen musicians that help him with the rhythm section: those are Brian Sanders on bass and Drew Franklin on drums. The three together make this really tight trio for Mills compositions. Here Mills shows us his great taste in guitar lines and solos (check for example "E Minor 9th to see how tastefully composed are the guitar melodies). And he also plays a solo piece in "Solo" showing his classical influences. A must for guitar players and musicians and for everybody who likes neoclassical musics and superb musicianship.

Favorite tracks: "Discovery", "Castles" and "E Minor 9th"

Contact: mmills97@aol.com